My world: art and nature
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Why this why now
Children begin by understanding themselves in relation to the natural world, laying the foundation for empathy, care for the Earth, and awareness of interconnected stories. Early engagement in personal mark-making supports National Curriculum goals in exploring ideas and developing control in materials. Nature as archive, self and movement, mapping memory, sensory engagement with materials, environmental awareness, shared human experience.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Understanding themselves in relation to the natural world, laying the foundation for empathy, care for the Earth, and awareness of interconnected stories.
- Familiarity with basic mark-making tools (pencils, crayons, chalk)
- Introduction to using materials from nature (e.g., leaves, sticks)
- Early painting experience with brushes or sponges
- Exposure to clay or dough (pinching, rolling)
Why this why now
Children begin by understanding themselves in relation to the natural world, laying the foundation for empathy, care for the Earth, and awareness of interconnected stories. Early engagement in personal mark-making supports National Curriculum goals in exploring ideas and developing control in materials. Nature as archive, self and movement, mapping memory, sensory engagement with materials, environmental awareness, shared human experience.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Understanding themselves in relation to the natural world, laying the foundation for empathy, care for the Earth, and awareness of interconnected stories.
- Familiarity with basic mark-making tools (pencils, crayons, chalk)
- Introduction to using materials from nature (e.g., leaves, sticks)
- Early painting experience with brushes or sponges
- Exposure to clay or dough (pinching, rolling)
My world: art and nature
Designed in collaboration with October Gallery, this unit reflects how art operates in the world, as expression, storytelling, identity and connection. While remaining accessible for all classrooms pupils explore mark-making, movement, clay, print, and dye to build fine and gross motor skills.
4 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the My world: art and nature unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our primary art and design curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for primary art and design programmes.